550 ART OF SHOEING. 



Whilst every man who knows enough of the art of shoeing 

 to superintend the work, or do it, will appreciate its impor- 

 tance, and the necessity for each part being well done, it is 

 remarkable that of all the authors who have had their pecu- 

 liar shoe, not one, to our knowledge, has, in any marked 

 degree, improved the art of shoeing. Whether we take, for 

 example, the elder La Fosse, who adopted the short shoe, 

 or tip, or refer to the several different forms which the late 

 Professor Coleman adopted and took out patents for, or recall 

 to memory the names of many men who have also entertained 

 some special notions on shoes of exceptional form, the good 

 which the art of shoeing has derived from these is not to be 

 found ; on the contrary, perpetual confusion is kept up, and 

 the whole body of working farriers are placed in the position 

 of an army without a leader. Whilst not a few people 

 recognise the importance of the art, the majority of those 

 who keep horses have no right appreciation on the matter, 

 and the horse-shoer is ordered as if his work was easy to 

 understand. The art of horse-shoeing is in a more unsettled 

 state in England than in any other nation in Europe; and 

 we believe that we are justified in saying that there has 

 been more want of agreement among men on the subject 

 during the present century than at any previous epoch in its 

 history. 



There are three requirements of essential importance in 

 shoes as they are forged; as has been said, they must be 

 sound and expertly worked, the iron being of good quality, 

 properly distributed, the nail holes should be of proper form, 

 rightly placed, and the direction given by the stamp should 

 be most accurate. 



The question as to the form of nail used is also important, 

 and is intimately connected with the plan of horse-shoe 

 making ; the apparently essential difference in the form of 



